COLD

So the furnace stopped working on Friday night. Dave the Cesco repairman came Saturday at 3. Emptied 6 buckets of water from the furnace. Got it back running. Said I'd have no problem with it but it was due for a service, I should do it just cuz. An hour and a half after he left the furnace went off and stayed off. Saturday night was a two duvet night. House rather parky this morning. I stood, teeth chattering, watching out the bathroom window as Amazing Kan loaded his car at 7:30 and headed east on the Pike to Waltham, near Boston, to a former girlfriend's. I think to see if she'd take him in. He is hopeful. Even though he ran out on her 20 years ago and left her with his half of the rent to pay. I told him not to arrive looking like the Beverly Hillbillies with a full station wagon, it might put her off. But he appears to have taken everything except his desktop Mac and 2 mink jackets belonging to his dead wife. And half a bag of Faro, whatever that is, and some chick peas in the fridge. And his organic sesame whatever health bread. And some wheat germ cereal that's like eating bark mulch.

My guess is he will be back. And if not, I can wear the coats, which believe me crossed my mind as I sat blue-fingered in the kitchen today.

I have now scanned all 390 Peg-signed scripts for the MY FILE. Bollocks to Oregon. These are my babies. To sell. Catalogued them. Put them onto the external hard drive. Bought a sandwich at the General Store. Schmoozed with the locals a bit (didn't take long). Bought a sweatshirt that says "Becket General Store" with a small line drawing of it, so I remember this place when I get back to England and cursing Peg and Odd for dumping a house with a dead furnace on me and a septic system THAT FAILED TITLE 5. Yes. Perfect. The bad news. But expected. So that'll be $30,000. And a new furnace, that sounds cheap.

And Bonnie has vertigo and in bed for Day Three.

I am now at my friend David's barn-that-is-actually-a-house, 10 minutes away. It is warm. I have been given a vodka & tonic. A place to type. Tony Bennett is playing. Ribs in the oven. I am feeling better. Not great, but better. Slightly. 

I have booked my ticket home. A week from Friday. No charge apparently for changing flight dates because Peg died. I knew I'd find a plus in all this.